May 18, 2016

lovely lupins...

...it's "lupin time" again at the lake as the lupins which have made their home in my hill garden are in full glory right now... I know I've posted about these spires of loveliness in past years, but I can't help myself from doing so again as they always seem dazzle me at this time of year... I think a lupin post in the month of May is going to become a regular thing on this blog of mine just like the bluebells that often seem to grace the covers of certain British magazines every spring! In the same way as seeing swathes of bluebells on magazine covers makes you think that spring is just around the corner, my hill of lupins in full bloom heralds the start of summer for me... and what a lovely thought that is!...

I can't help but think it a bit of a miracle that these lush verdant clumps topped by graceful pea-flower spikes in stunning shades of violet, mauve, periwinkle and pink are the result of my random sprinkling of a rocky, rather barren hill with tiny little seeds!

Not only is their spectacular display lovely on the eyes (isn't this clump of periwinkle-mauve ones by the cherry tree so very special!), but they also make my garden come alive with some of the sweetest sounds of summer: the delightful hum of industrious bees and the distinctive "zing" sound of those swooping high-spirited hummingbirds! How sweet it is to know that a few packets of seeds can create such a delicious floral playground for precious wildlife!

Unfortunately, this spring display of lupin blooms is rather fleeting, especially when the weather is dry has as it has been of late; I am going back to the lake later this week and I wouldn't be surprised if all the blooms you see in these photos have all faded! It seems to me that when it is dry, many of the blooms have bottoms which are brown and faded while their tops are still unfurled and green; I do wish we were having a bit of a wetter spring as I am rather at the mercy of the weather given that I'm not at the lake all the time to water my garden...

However, I do try to lengthen my lupin bloom period by deadheading and then, once it's over, I cut down the plants so to get another flush of blooms, albeit smaller, later in the summer.

In the near future, I'd like to work on adding some flowering companions for my lupins, perhaps some daisies and poppies... My favourite rugosa rose at the lake does flower nearby at the same time; it is called "Wasagaming" and I'm happy that I've written down its name here in this post, as every year it try to remember its name and it always takes me a bit of searching before I do! I planted it quite a while back in my city garden and, ever since, while completely forgetting its name, I've been charmed by its antique rose look and scent and its delightful habit of clambering over neighbouring shrubs. When I started sourcing plants for my lake garden, I was so thrilled to spot it at a local nursery and immediately bought a few of them which I happily planted at the lake. So far, they have thrived there with all the sunshine and, given their rugosa parentage, they are very fuss-free and vigorous; the only thing that I have to protect them from is deer and I did so by enclosing them in a chicken wire cage as young plants. I planted them all near trees, and one of them has all ready started to clamber through a nearby birch tree which has put a huge smile on my face. The one in the photo below is planted near a cherry tree which is still small but, soon enough, I hope to help it along into the tree; having been so charmed by the sight of rambling roses in old fruit trees in a lovely château kitchen garden on a recent holiday in France, I knew I couldn't be without such a lovely pairing in my own lake garden!...

I know I've promised upcoming posts featuring new crochet-trimmed pillowcases, patchworks and fabric bundles, but I've been rather busy this week packing up my kitchen as we are going to demo our crusty old kitchen (no regrets there!) this coming weekend; hopefully I'll get back to my fabric and yarn soon and have some photos to show you next week. Thanks for popping out with me into my garden at the lake!...

Comments

A beautiful site! Nothing like new blossoms to lift the spirit and add a smile to the day. I so miss the blooms in winter. Best of luck with the redo! (been there)